Azur Samui is a tropical idyll set in beautiful hills offering a dream lifestyle.

It’s said of Venice that everybody wants to see it, and that those who’ve already seen it want to return. The same goes for Samui, but with the critical difference that, unlike Venice, a lot of people want to come and live on Samui permanently. Many holidaymakers wish that they could have more of a foothold here than a week or two in a hotel. It might seem impossible, as dreams go, but it turns out not to be true. All sorts of people are coming to Samui and are setting up here, living on the island for months at a time, or permanently. A millionaire’s game? Not at all. With extremely reasonable prices, you can afford to buy a property on the island and live here for as much of the year as you care to. And if, for any reason whatsoever, you’d like to be away for a while, then you can rent out your property, make a tidy profit, and have it looking spick and span for your return.

This is one of the ideas behind Azur Samui. It’s the brainchild of Tim Dean-Smith, who developed Beach Republic, an architectural gem on the coast at Lamai.

He’s been on the island for over a decade and is in a good position to know what investors and buyers are looking for. Azur is located up in the hills just outside Maenam, on Samui’s north coast. When you arrive, you’ll be impressed by the sheer calm and privacy of the place. You can look down onto a plain of palm trees that fronts the sea itself, and beyond that the view stretches away to Koh Pha- Ngan and Koh Tao. None of this means that the development is isolated; it’s a few minutes’ drive down to the ring-road and Fisherman’s Village at Bophut, and just 20 minutes to Chaweng and Samui Airport. As such it combines the best of coast, countryside and all the modern amenities that the island now offers.

Azur offers a range of luxury apartments, villas and pool penthouses, which are all well designed with top-notch finishes. If desired, you can even have an optional interior furnishing package, too. It’s therefore entirely possible to buy into this development and have everything ready for you as you open your front door for the first time. (Some buyers are simply opting to purchase with a view to letting out their property and thereby simply using Azur as an investment.)

The apartments are spacious, beautifully designed and all have sea views. Plenty of natural light abounds thanks to the windows and openair nature of the properties. The combination of layout and setting makes them extremely desirable places to live. Designed in an elegant, contemporary architectural style, these superb residences offer their owners an idyllic tropical lifestyle.

You’ll also find that Azur isn’t just a place to live, but a community too; there’s a stylish club house, with spa services such as massage and steam rooms, tennis courts and dining options, as well. There’s a professional reception, because Azur will be renting villas and apartments on behalf of its owners to holidaymakers, and a very effective 24-hour security system offering safety, security and peace of mind for everyone staying there. If you’re away from the property, you’ll be able to check out the CCTV cameras on your smartphone.

Another great advantage to Azur is the sheer flexibility of the architects. Most purchasers change the floor plans in some way or another, and this is never any problem at all. If you would like to have an indoor cinema or a bonsai garden, then if it’s feasible, it can be incorporated into the layout. The owners come from very diverse backgrounds, so it was never envisaged in the first place that the layouts should always be left as standardized templates.

Ecological construction materials have been used wherever possible, and the buildings are oriented so that the sun doesn’t overheat the interiors. Natural cooling, breezes and savvy ventilation keep the properties cool, and in addition the walls contain high insulation material so as to keep the heat out.

Water is captured as it flows downhill through the development, and three deep wells guarantee the water supply. In short, everything’s been well thought out to provide comfortable living. The finish is pretty much unparalleled on Samui, according to Tim, who is adamant that it should be highly durable.

Two apartment blocks have already been completed and handed over, and five villas are under construction. Properties here are selling fast; nine out of 26 villas were sold by the end of 2015, along with approximately 50% of the apartments. Not surprisingly Azur is proving very popular.

Interestingly, unlike many developments on Samui and in Thailand, you don’t have to pay for a property outright. Fifty percent of the total price can be financed by the vendor, and in all cases, payment can be made in instalments. The price for a studio at Azur is 3.8 million Baht, and villas start at approximately 21 million Baht, with the price for an enormous pool penthouse with private elevator access being in the region of 25 million Baht.

If, like an ever increasing number of people these days, you’d like to experience a bit more of Samui than just an annual holiday, there’s no reason in the world why you shouldn’t head for the hills and an ideal lifestyle.